Management of feeding Problem in a Patient with Cleft Lip/Palate

Care of an infant born with a cleft palate: a case study

Orofacial clefts are the most common facial congenital abnormalities in humans. Their management is complex due to a range of immediate and ongoing challenges. These include breathing, feeding, speech, hearing and dental issues. This article uses a case study approach to outline these challenges for a patient who was born with a cleft palate. The case is followed by a discussion of contemporary evidence-based care. The article focuses on family-centred care and multidisciplinary teamwork, and the author also details the central role of the children's nurse.

Prefabricated Trays Stock for Impression of Cleft lip and Palate Orthopedic Appliances: A Three-Dimensional Computational Analysis of Maxillary Jaws

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to propose digitally designed impression trays, for newborns with cleft lip and palate (CLP) defects, using the computer-assisted design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technique, based on measurements of width, length, and height made on processed and scanned plaster models. Thus, we will describe the different software and concepts that can be used for the design of these impression trays.

DESIGN

A total of 59 plaster casts of newborn patients with CLP were collected and then scanned. After that, digital dental casts were three-dimensional (3D) evaluated, using precise anatomical landmarks.

SETTING

The Maxillofacial Prosthodontics Team at the Dental consultation and treatment center in Rabat, Morocco.

PATIENTS AND PARTICIPANTS

The study involved plaster casts of newborns with CLP, who had undergone presurgical neonatal treatment in the Maxillofacial Prosthodontics service in Rabat, Morocco.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

3D evaluation of 59 scanned plaster casts of newborn patients with CLP.

RESULTS

This work allowed us to obtain digital impression trays for each anatomical variation of orofacial clefts. These trays will limit the problems linked to conventional techniques for making neonatal orthopedic plates. We also emphasized the importance of a multidisciplinary approach involving several professionals in Morocco from various fields and specialties.

CONCLUSION

This original technique is advantageous for the practitioner as well as for the patients and their parents. It allows for precise recording, better adaptation, time-saving, and parental comfort.

Pre-surgical Nasal Molding of a Two-Day-Old Neonate With Complete Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Using Passive Nasoalveolar Molding Technique: A Case Report

The occurrence of congenital deformities like cleft lip and palate is not uncommon and is often a traumatizing experience for families. The entire rehabilitation process includes frequent hospital visits and the brunt of numerous procedures. Early intervention with pre-surgical infant orthopedics facilitates better surgical outcomes and additional psychosocial benefits to the infant's family. The present clinical report addresses the pre-surgical management of a non-syndromic two-day-old female baby whose parents presented with the chief complaint of deformed lips, nose, and difficulty while feeding. The neonate had a complete left-sided cleft lip, alveolus, and cleft palate on examination. Early management with pre-surgical passive nasoalveolar molding (PNAM) has favorable outcomes, including desired upper lip, alveolus, and nose shape. Non-invasive pre-surgical intervention with PNAM reduces the severity of the deformities before the primary surgical repair, thus decreasing the overall cost of cleft care and the number of secondary revisions, thus increasing the probability of favorable outcomes.

Factors Influencing Parental Satisfaction in Children with Cleft Lip and Palate Repair Based on Comprehensive Plastic Surgery Procedures at the Senyum Bali Foundation

Analyze contributing factors toward satisfaction after cleft lip and palate treatments in Senyum Bali Foundation. Qualitative case study, an interview with a semi-structured question from February to April 2023 by purposive sampling informants including parents, foundation staff, and plastic surgeon. Unsatisfying nose and teeth appearance due imperfect effects after surgery and requirement of more procedures. Mini model theory study that includes the appearance of the face and lips; speech and hearing; the functions of feeding, masticatory, breathing; psychosocial, quality of life, treatment cost-effectiveness, funding, health services, physician, implementing cultural contexts, surgical outcomes, and parents' feedback.

Perception and Attitude of Parents of Children With Orofacial Clefts Regarding the Use of Presurgical Orthopedics and Feeding Obturators

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate the parents' attitude and their perception regarding the management of orofacial cleft (OFC) children with presurgical nasoalveolar molding (PNAM), DynaCleft and/or feeding obturators.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A cross-sectional, descriptive and observational retrospective survey-based study was conducted among parents of OFC children treated with PNAM, DynaCleft and/or feeding obturators who attended a primary dental health care center in Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia, from 2019 to 2023. A validated questionnaire was used after translating it from English to Arabic. The questionnaire consisted of 32 questions divided into two sections. The first section covers parents' sociodemographic data and OFC risk factors. The second section evaluates the parents' perception regarding the use of presurgical orthopedics (PSO) for OFC repair. The questionnaire was completed through telephone interviews carried out by two investigators with the parents of OFC children.

RESULTS

Out of 142 parents of OFC children, only 40 parents and their children met the inclusion criteria of the study. Most parents (95%) reported their satisfaction with the treatment and stated that they would encourage other parents of OFC children to use PSO.

CONCLUSION

This study concluded that parents of OFC children had a positive attitude toward PSO treatment. Based on the positive outcomes of PSO treatment reported in the current study and previous literature, PSO should be considered as a routine treatment in the early management of orofacial clefts.

Maternal Stressful Life Events During the Periconceptional Period and Orofacial Clefts: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether women who experience stressful life events during the periconceptional period are at higher risk of giving birth to a baby with an orofacial cleft (OFC).

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting the proportion of babies born with OFC to mothers exposed and unexposed to population-level or personal-level stressful life events during the periconceptional period. Six electronic databases were searched from inception to August 2020. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Odds ratios (ORs) for the odds of OFC in babies of exposed mothers relative to unexposed controls were extracted and/or calculated. Random effects meta-analysis was undertaken, stratified by cleft subtype.

RESULTS

Of 12 eligible studies, 8 examined experience of personal events and 4 examined population-level events. Studies demonstrated low-moderate risk of bias and there was indication of publication bias. There was some evidence that personal stressful life events were associated with greater odds of cleft lip and/or palate (six studies, OR 1.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.16, 2.30, P = 0.001) and cleft palate only (six studies, OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.02, 2.06, P = 0.04). Population-level events were associated with higher odds of OFC in studies that did not specify subtype (three studies, OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.19, 2.25, P = 0.002), but subtype stratified analyses were underpowered. Heterogeneity was high.

CONCLUSIONS

Limited evidence indicated a weak positive association between maternal stressful life events during the periconceptional period and risk of OFC in the offspring, but further studies with greater consistency in research design are needed.

Feeding considerations for infants with craniofacial malformations

Approximately 5% of children experience difficulty with the complex coordination of sucking, swallowing and breathing required for feeding. Infants with craniofacial malformations may have anatomic and neurologic contributions to feeding problems. Examples include cleft lip and/or palate, micrognathia, maxillary hypoplasia, and pharyngeal dysfunction. Interventions may facilitate weight gain and avoid failure-to-thrive in these infants. An interdisciplinary approach to address feeding challenges in children with craniofacial differences is necessary. Positional changes, latching maneuvers, specialized feeder nipples, squeezable bottles, and cup feeding can be implemented early. Surgical intervention, including gastrostomy tube placement, tongue lip adhesion, mandibular distraction osteogenesis and tracheostomy, may be required in more severe cases.

Care of the Asian American Child With Cleft Lip or Palate

Orofacial clefts are one of the most common global birth defects. Orofacial clefts may be part of a syndrome or an isolated birth defect, and affect approximately 1-1.5 per 1,000 live births worldwide with noted inequalities across geographical areas and cultures. In the United States, Asian American populations have a substantially higher incidence of cleft lip with or without cleft palate (2/1,000 live births). Orofacial clefts are a key health issue with substantial health care costs, and associated medical, psychological, and social ramifications. It has been estimated that the health care costs within the United States are approximately $697 million over a child's lifetime. In disorders like orofacial clefts, because of the complexity of the condition and subsequent medical interventions, as well as the cultural intricacies of the Asian culture, it requires significant knowledge and understanding by the health care providers. In order to provide optimal and safe cleft care, reduce health care costs, and improve the outcomes for the Asian American population, a culturally sensitive, multidisciplinary, and coordinated approach is needed. Increased culturally specific education, early access to prenatal care, and ongoing infant and pediatric health care are essential.

Incidence of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Children With Cleft Lip and Palate and an Evaluation of Its Impact on Weight Gain

Patients with cleft lip and/or palate have higher rates of failure to thrive (FTT), decreased growth, and more often experience feeding difficulties as compared with the general pediatric population (J Child Health Care. 2014;18:72-83). Although insufficient nursing, excessive air intake, and incorrect feeding methods have been established in the literature, the role of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as a contributing factor in cleft patients has not been thoroughly examined. Presently, there is a paucity of literature analyzing the incidence and effect of GERD on this unique population. Furthermore, no studies have evaluated the effect of GERD therapy on improvement of weight gain and FTT in cleft patients. The purpose of this retrospective review was to identify the incidence of GERD in the orofacial cleft population and to see if appropriate treatment was effective in improving weight gain. Fifty patients with cleft lip, cleft lip and palate, and isolated cleft palate were identified from a single surgeon's experience at a large academic medical center from 2015 to 2019. The data show that a significantly higher percentage of patients with cleft lip/and or palate have clinical evidence of GERD, which required treatment as compared with published reports of less than 1% in the noncleft population. The data also suggest that the patients diagnosed with GERD who received pharmacologic treatment showed improved weight gain as compared with those who did not. Given our findings, the diagnosis of GERD should be considered in orofacial cleft patients exhibiting signs of feeding difficulty or those with FTT. The early diagnosis and treatment of GERD in patients with orofacial clefts may improve weight gain.

Care of the Asian American Child With Cleft Lip or Palate

Orofacial clefts are one of the most common global birth defects. Orofacial clefts may be part of a syndrome or an isolated birth defect, and affect approximately 1-1.5 per 1,000 live births worldwide with noted inequalities across geographical areas and cultures. In the United States, Asian American populations have a substantially higher incidence of cleft lip with or without cleft palate (2/1,000 live births). Orofacial clefts are a key health issue with substantial health care costs, and associated medical, psychological, and social ramifications. It has been estimated that the health care costs within the United States are approximately $697 million over a child's lifetime. In disorders like orofacial clefts, because of the complexity of the condition and subsequent medical interventions, as well as the cultural intricacies of the Asian culture, it requires significant knowledge and understanding by the health care providers. In order to provide optimal and safe cleft care, reduce health care costs, and improve the outcomes for the Asian American population, a culturally sensitive, multidisciplinary, and coordinated approach is needed. Increased culturally specific education, early access to prenatal care, and ongoing infant and pediatric health care are essential.

Functional Evaluation of Eating Difficulties Scale to predict oral motor skills in infants with neurodevelopmental disorders: a longitudinal study

AIM

To assess the predictive validity of the Functional Evaluation of Eating Difficulties Scale (FEEDS) on long-term eating developmental outcomes in infants with neurodevelopmental disorders.

METHOD

In total, 144 infants (69 females, 75 males) aged 0 to 12 months (mean [SD] 5.34mo [3.42]) with neurodevelopmental disorders and requiring enteral nutrition support, hospitalized between January 2004 and December 2017, were included. The FEEDS was administered at the onset of hospitalization. Follow-up evaluations of feeding modalities occurred at discharge and at 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months after discharge. FEEDS score was tested as a predictor of infants' feeding modality (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy, nasogastric tube, mixed, oral feeding) and time to autonomous oral feeding. Percentages of false-positive and negative cases were checked.

RESULTS

Lower FEEDS scores significantly predicted infants' feeding modality (0.40≤R² ≤0.61). A 1-point increase in FEEDS score was associated with increased risk (6%-14%; p<0.05) of being non-autonomous feeders at the different follow-up points in infants who had a FEEDS score above the clinical cut-off.

INTERPRETATION

The FEEDS appears to be a clinically valid assessment to predict the presence of eating difficulties in infants with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS

Functional Evaluation of Eating Difficulties Scale (FEEDS) significantly predicted eating difficulties in infants with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Lower FEEDS score is significantly associated with autonomous feeding at the 24-month follow-up. FEEDS cut-off identified infants at low-risk and high-risk for eating disorder.